Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

Telltails said:
Players set the standards on the field during the game - and the bar for 90% of our players is very low. Can guarantee most of them have the end of season in sight. The loser mentality is ingrained as a squad - and makes it near impossible for coaches/clubs to break the cycle without a complete overhaul, or some mental miracle that drives the players you have to find something extra. Toa is a classic example of a player who completely dominated and outplayed arguably the best centre in competition with a stellar performance in attack and defence and has gone missing since - coaches nightmare. Barring that he may be carrying some sort of injury - explains why he is in a team running last.
I don't know if Benji can coach but would never measure him by this current squad. Api is a quality player and still is - that explains to me a lot more about our predicament.
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Thats all very well and good mate, but youre drawing a comparison with Disneyland and how each employee goes into character once they get into costume. These players arent actors, and they have more of a challenge than acting like mickey mouse. Theyre putting everything on the line and they need to know that the club has their back. They need to know the club gives a Donald Duck.
 
TIGERPOWER said:
How has having tnr fastest halfback who can tackle gone for us in the last ten years? The two traits that people keep going on about yet they aren’t the most important trait you need in a halfback. Organising skills, kicking him, getting the ball out to the backs, not folding when the pressure is on and you’re needed.
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No doubt we need a halfback with the basic skills you have mentioned, but our edge players and outside backs are not good enough to capitalise unless their team mates inside them have a running game good enough to worry the opposition which in turn creates space out wide.
Last night was an example when having two halves that are a running threat, we create plenty of opportunity out wide.
Our attack was more than acceptable last night, defence and physicality to limit the opponents field position were our problems.
Jayden Sullivan is like a young version of Luke Brooks. He’s fast with a very good running game, but he’s not a noted on field leader, he has a poor kicking game and his decision making isn’t up to scratch.
Being young and with next to no better options available, he’s still well worth the risk in hope Benji and our coaching staff can help turn him into a much more complete player.
I probably sound like a broken down record, but I’m adamant Adam Clune is a far superior halfback to Aidan Sezer at this stage of their careers.
It’s rumoured 3-4 Super League clubs are all going hard to sign Clune, none of them want Sezer,
Clune is 5 years younger, much quicker, a better attacking player, kicking game would be on par and the on field talk and leadership is very similar.
Clune’s defence when left isolated is his biggest downfall, but that’s a problem for most halves and the reason why good defensively intimidating second rowers are required to help overcome that problem.
 
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Vicious said:
No doubt we need a halfback with the basic skills you have mentioned, but our edge players and outside backs are not good enough to capitalise unless their team mates inside them have a running game good enough to worry the opposition which in turn creates space out wide.
Last night was an example when having two halves that are a running threat, we create plenty of opportunity out wide.
Our attack was more than acceptable last night, defence and physicality to limit the opponents field position were our problems.
Jayden Sullivan is like a young version of Luke Brooks. He’s fast with a very good running game, but he’s not a noted on field leader, he has a poor kicking game and his decision making isn’t up to scratch.
Being young and with next to no better options available, he’s still well worth the risk in hope Benji and our coaching staff can help turn him into a much more complete player.
I probably sound like a broken down record, but I’m adamant Adam Clune is a far superior halfback to Aidan Sezer at this stage of their careers.
It’s rumoured 3-4 Super League clubs are all going hard to sign Clune, none of them want Sezer,
Clune is 5 years younger, much quicker, a better attacking player, kicking game would be on par and the on field talk and leadership is very similar.
Clune’s defence when left isolated is his biggest downfall, but that’s a problem for most halves and the reason why good defensively intimidating second rowers are required to help overcome that problem.
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Based on the above im suprised we aren’t in the mix for him. All I know is having two running half’s doesn’t work. And if you have a fast young 5/8 in fainu, then you don’t need a speedy half rather an organising one.
 
twentyforty said:
Thats all very well and good mate, but youre drawing a comparison with Disneyland and how each employee goes into character once they get into costume. These players arent actors, and they have more of a challenge than acting like mickey mouse. Theyre putting everything on the line and they need to know that the club has their back. They need to know the club gives a Donald Duck.
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No I'm say that too many of our players are comfortable losing and because the blokes around them are also playing at that standard there is no pressure on them to perform better.
In other teams with players who compete and expect to win 90% of our players would need to lift or get dropped . We have one outstanding player and he his fighting a losing battle and getting little support from around him.
 
TIGERPOWER said:
Based on the above im suprised we aren’t in the mix for him. All I know is having two running half’s doesn’t work. And if you have a fast young 5/8 in fainu, then you don’t need a speedy half rather an organising one.
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That is true and I’m led to believe if we were willing to pay a ridiculous amount of money, we could get Michell Pearce for 2024 & 2025.
He’s a definite leader no doubt about that, but his ageing battered body has seen him slow down dramatically and would not help improve us as a team in my opinion.
The point I’m making is I don’t think Sezer is any better than Pearce at this stage if their careers, just Sezer would likely be a lot cheaper.
Adam Reynolds is one of a kind, he’s exactly what we need, but we are no chance of getting him unfortunately.
Also rumours we are a chance of getting Chad Townsend. I’m a bit torn on that one as he’s proven he can lead teams to the top of the table, but he’s had elite teams around him when doing it.
 
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TIGERPOWER said:
How has having tnr fastest halfback who can tackle gone for us in the last ten years? The two traits that people keep going on about yet they aren’t the most important trait you need in a halfback. Organising skills, kicking game,getting the ball out to the backs, not folding when the pressure is on and your needed.
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I don't think is the case. I understand what you are stating but it's like an extremely dumbed down argument when it comes to a complex issue.

I look at Hughes and Munster and they are both running halves. It works.

It's a bit dysfunctional in that you are looking at Brooks and stating he is the sole reason for our team being terrible and then making up theories that aren't necessarily true to justify that opinion. So you state well he is fast and can tackle but if we had the organizing halfback we'd be good. We had Hastings who was exactly that player and we were still ordinary and I think Hastings has been poor as well.

I just want two halves who can create something and the problem with a slow half that doesn't threaten is that they can't create. If you can get a slow half who creates points and space for the opposition backs great but that doesn't seem to happen very often. Wakeham is also that organizing player. He just isn't good enough.

I think the organizing halfback idea is a mirage whereas a halfback who can create is essential.

It's not about Brooks. I'm fine with him going. I'm not even stating we will go backwards. We may improve.
 
mikey said:
Not having a shot at you, but there is a big difference in skillset between Reynolds and Brookes.
Reynolds can organise, pass, think under pressure, and kick goals.
Brookes assets are he's fast and occasionally he sets up a play.
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I agree with this point and that is why losing Brooks maybe isn't a big deal. We'll find out. Reynolds is though a gun player whereas Brooks isn't. Brooks is much easier to replace than Reynolds.
 
People acting like Sezar is washed up.

He's been a starting 7 in the SL for 4 straight seasons, one of those (last year) in a GF side. Captain of his club for 2 of those as well. He's the starting 7 for Canberra's GF performance in 2019.

2 GF's in 5 years.

And we wring our hands over him replacing Luke Brooks. Or prefer Clune (who I don't mind). Or Cogger (again, don't mind).

But none of them have the resume Sezar brings.

For his SL career he has a 47.46% win ratio. Go on- say that it's rubbish. For his NRL career- 50.97%

Then look at the options we are looking at instead of him.

He's no Andrew Johns. But he knows how to win & put together sustained success over the course of a season.
 
The Chad said:
People acting like Sezar is washed up.

He's been a starting 7 in the SL for 4 straight seasons, one of those (last year) in a GF side. Captain of his club for 2 of those as well. He's the starting 7 for Canberra's GF performance in 2019.

2 GF's in 5 years.

And we wring our hands over him replacing Luke Brooks. Or prefer Clune (who I don't mind). Or Cogger (again, don't mind).

But none of them have the resume Sezar brings.

For his SL career he has a 47.46% win ratio. Go on- say that it's rubbish. For his NRL career- 50.97%

Then look at the options we are looking at instead of him.

He's no Andrew Johns. But he knows how to win & put together sustained success over the course of a season.
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You raise some good points.
All I am saying he’s not at the right stage of his career for us to throw all our eggs in the one basket and bank on him being our saviour as our regular NRL number 7.
Surely you would hope if we do sign Sezer, we also sign another capable halfback who can apply pressure and compete with him for our NRL starting spot,
 
Vicious said:
You raise some good points.
All I am saying he’s not at the right stage of his career for us to throw all our eggs in the one basket and bank on him being our saviour as our regular NRL number 7.
Surely you would hope if we do sign Sezer, we also sign another capable halfback who can apply pressure and compete with him for our NRL starting spot,
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I really want Sullivan added. To play 6. And eventually 7. Fainu is the key player for our future. But he is the one we need to nurture carefully. Sezar gives the club direction. I want him to be a season long starter. Nothing about his career tells me he won't be an upgrade over what we have put on the field since Cleary was here. If he can install some calm, direction & guidance to these young kids coming through- he's an ideal signing.

We are not winning a GF next season. I can't believe Sezar is being brought here for that. I'd rather spend $400k on a guy like Sezar than $800k on a project. The days of overspending on the Mbye's & Brooks' & crippling the cap need to be over. I can't think of too many players that are somewhat available I'd prefer the club to spend upward of $400k on next year to play 7.

To balance my argument- I REALLY liked Sezar at Canberra. I thought he gave a very athletic, Warriors-style collection of players, direction. Given that Api is not THAT different to what Hodgson brought back then, I would be very excited to see similar styles to that team back between 2016-2019.
 
Merlot said:
those so called sneaky tries he keeps scoring,there never seem's to b another 1 of our players backing up within koo eee,seem 2 sit back ,lazy ,lounging on the 20
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Yea, but it can't be poor coaching right?

Can't believe this, we have sloppy defensive structures and lack grit. But that can't be the coaches fault.

all 2023 is proving is that Madge > Sheens as Sheens has clearly the better squad and isn't producing the results.
 
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